Which Doctors Need Medical Scribes?

Is a Medical Scribe Right for Your Practice?

Medical scribes provide a valuable service to physicians by transcribing notes, entering information into the electronic health record (EHR), and taking the administrative burden out of the average physician workload. Both private practices and large hospitals are beginning to realize the value in hiring scribes, who can help decrease the rate of physician burnout and increase patient satisfaction.

Is hiring a scribe right for your practice? Learn which practices benefit most from scribes, and how you can determine the relative value of hiring one for your practice.

Do You Struggle With Your EHR?

Physicians have made the switch to the EHR, and many are unhappy about it. A recent survey found that a third of respondents noted EHR implementation made their workflows less efficient, and 60% said they’ve yet to experience a return on investment. Physicians complain that the EHR system is difficult and time-consuming to navigate, ultimately detracting from patient care. Some report spending more time dealing with the EHR than providing patient care. Combine that with the 2015 release of ICD-10, and you have a true administrative headache on your hands.

The best solution may be to hire a scribe. These professionals enter medical information and codes, as well as transcribe your dictations during a patient encounter. In fact, a medical scribe can take as much as 90% of the administrative workload off your hands. All you have do is review the documentation and sign off on it between encounters, allowing you more time for quality interactions with patients. Not only do you spend less time on the computer but your charts will often be more accurate.

Scribes in the Emergency Department

Scribes are becoming more popular across all disciplines, with an expected 100,000 scribes employed 2020. Emergency departments (EDs) were among the first to adopt medical scribes to streamline efficiency. Nowhere is efficiency valued more than the emergency department, where patient scheduling is entirely dependent on the day. Emergency medicine physicians never know what will come through the doors or how long each encounter will take.

From a patient perspective, any person who walks through the doors of the ED can expect to spend at least 6–8 hours before receiving treatment. In some cases, patients become discouraged and leave before being seen by a certified physician, which ultimately decreases revenue and patient satisfaction rates. In some EDs, the percentage of patients who leave before being seen is as high as 10%. Scribes help decrease these rates by streamlining documentation and coding, ultimately increasing patient satisfaction, outcomes, and physician compensation.

Scribes For Your Practice

EDs aren’t the only area of medicine that benefit from hiring a scribe. From private practices to specialty clinics, a medical scribe can be a beneficial member of any medical team.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the administrative aspects of medicine and wish you had more time to apply your extensive training to patient care, it’s time to consider hiring a medical scribe. A scribe can help improve your practice’s patient satisfaction and volume, as well as help streamline your processes and efficiency.